RideLondon Start Times
Discussion
My time was 6 hours 5 minutes 56 seconds according to the rider times website. Strava says my elapsed time was 6:15:16, so a little lag getting over the start mat, and a delay in switching the Garmin off as I walked up the Mall to get my finishers medal (confusion over where the finish was, with some riders sprinting after the finish line) could account for the discrepancy. My Strava moving time was 5:53:50. 12 minutes to sort a puncture in Fulham with less than 5 miles to go, and a few stops for pedestrian crossings (about 6 short delays through Wimbledon/Fulham) account for most of it, along with just under 2 minutes on Ripley Lane to pick myself off the floor. Some clown at the rear end of a "pace line" (or whatever) just pulled left before he'd got past me properly, and swept my front wheel out form under me. Ruined my shorts and jersey, badly grazed my shoulder, chunk out of my elbow, grapefruit-sized bruise/graze on my hip, and a gash on my knee. But within two minutes I'd checked myself over, checked the bike for damage, collected my water bottles, patted myself down to make sure I had all my swag with me, and got going again. Bike is mainly OK - cut the bar tape down to the metal, scratched the drive-side pedal, and tore off the cap at the end of the rear derailleur cable.
Given the state some downed riders were in when I went passed other incidents, though, I was very lucky to get off lightly.
My 16.8 mph average over the 100 miles doesn't sound much compared to some of you, but I'm chuffed with it. Based on my rides leading up to the event I'd estimated a best time of 6 hours 40 minutes, which, however you look at it, was smashed by my result. My wife came up to London with me and we had a great weekend. She got to Tower Hill to see me on the way out, and although she thought she'd miss me at the finish line, my puncture delay meant she made it from the tube just in time. to see me across the line, and she met me in the park with a picnic too. No stops at hubs or drinks stations, no wee breaks, just the imposed delays by crossings, the puncture, and the crash. And I'd been prepared to make a couple of stops for drinks mainly, given the weather forecast.
On the whole, a great experience, which has shown me that I'm capable of more on the bike than I thought I was...
Given the state some downed riders were in when I went passed other incidents, though, I was very lucky to get off lightly.
My 16.8 mph average over the 100 miles doesn't sound much compared to some of you, but I'm chuffed with it. Based on my rides leading up to the event I'd estimated a best time of 6 hours 40 minutes, which, however you look at it, was smashed by my result. My wife came up to London with me and we had a great weekend. She got to Tower Hill to see me on the way out, and although she thought she'd miss me at the finish line, my puncture delay meant she made it from the tube just in time. to see me across the line, and she met me in the park with a picnic too. No stops at hubs or drinks stations, no wee breaks, just the imposed delays by crossings, the puncture, and the crash. And I'd been prepared to make a couple of stops for drinks mainly, given the weather forecast.
On the whole, a great experience, which has shown me that I'm capable of more on the bike than I thought I was...
whatleytom said:
BMWBen said:
First time I've done it - the standard of riding in the front group was better than I expected, but my expectations were that I'd be taken out somewhere in the first 10 miles so not a high bar to beat 
Looking at the flybys the front pack split properly on Leith and then again on Box. Got really strung out on Leith hill, and I didn't get back to the front group until we got to Dorking. After that effort I didn't really have much to give up box and the group had gone again by the first hairpin. Looks like the very front group got split again just before the cafe.
Ended up riding all the way back into London as a 3 (not ideal!) which was picking people up and dropping them, only to get caught by the bigger group that didn't make it back after Leith just after we got to Kingston. Might as well have sat up and waited for them! They were a bunch of lazy s
ts (or maybe they were just all gassed) so that was quite annoying
So I think the front three groups were 3:53, 3:57: 4:01 (mine - about 20-25 riders at a guess ?)
We must have ridden in the same group, post Leith. Had the exact same as you, lost the bunch on Leith but got back on in Dorking, then just tapped up Box with a few others at my own pace. Then in a four or five up until Kingston when a bigger group swept us up. Finished 4.01 or so too. Looking at the flybys the front pack split properly on Leith and then again on Box. Got really strung out on Leith hill, and I didn't get back to the front group until we got to Dorking. After that effort I didn't really have much to give up box and the group had gone again by the first hairpin. Looks like the very front group got split again just before the cafe.
Ended up riding all the way back into London as a 3 (not ideal!) which was picking people up and dropping them, only to get caught by the bigger group that didn't make it back after Leith just after we got to Kingston. Might as well have sat up and waited for them! They were a bunch of lazy s
ts (or maybe they were just all gassed) so that was quite annoying So I think the front three groups were 3:53, 3:57: 4:01 (mine - about 20-25 riders at a guess ?)
Guessing you know that one quite well! I was absolutely hanging after box. I lost one of my water bottles on a pothole on Piccadilly and was really starting to feel it! We dropped the paceline rider and one other somewhere between Leatherhead and Esher I think.BMWBen said:
Yeah I was the chap on the Blue/Black Aeroad, I think you were the one who sent it down the back of box at a pace that made me feel a bit uneasy Guessing you know that one quite well! I was absolutely hanging after box. I lost one of my water bottles on a pothole on Piccadilly and was really starting to feel it! We dropped the paceline rider and one other somewhere between Dorking and Esher I think.
Ah yeah, I remember. I was on the black s-works. I'm a paceline rider, was in disguise yesterday, so knew the other PL guy. I was suffering with cramp with two bottles, so one must have been hard work. Yeah those Surrey roads are my local training roads so know them fairly well, not in the best shape at the moment so was trying to make the descents work for me a bit! Guessing you know that one quite well! I was absolutely hanging after box. I lost one of my water bottles on a pothole on Piccadilly and was really starting to feel it! We dropped the paceline rider and one other somewhere between Dorking and Esher I think.yellowjack said:
My wife came up to London with me and we had a great weekend. She got to Tower Hill to see me on the way out, and although she thought she'd miss me at the finish line, my puncture delay meant she made it from the tube just in time. to see me across the line,...
If it took my wife nearly six hours to get from Tower Hill to The Mall, I’d be checking for shopping bags and receipts!😂GOATever said:
I did witness a couple of people ‘shortcuting’ Leith, by going up Tanhurst Lane, and I know a few others that didn’t follow the route exactly, but knew where the timing bars were.
Name and Shame!I was looking at various people I'm aware of times. One guy claimed 4h30 last year. Seemed plausible. He's forever posting pics of his bikes with various Strava screenshots.
Only when you look at this splits. He has basically come out of Richmond Park, turned left and gone back into Raynes Park and run over the timing mat at 87 miles half an hour after entering the park!
Of course he then wobbled home very slowly and took a 100mile medal which he paraded on various sites. I did think maybe serious mechanical. But he's clearly riding down the Mall in the few official pics. He's just another lazy
who wants the glory for none of the work! 
It genuinely sickens me! So anyone short cutting the course should be outed and banned for life.
Same thing almost happened to me at velothon wales, last rider in a string of choppers who come past within a foot of me which is ironic given if a car passed them that close they would be screaming all sorts of profanities...... but last chopper comes within an inch of my front wheel even after I’d spotted the danger and braked. Bet he thought he was awesome. Closed road, (m)ass participation events, never again.
nammynake said:
3:50 ish based on his Strava time. He finished with front group but got dropped in the last couple of miles I think
Fair enough. If he started in B wave Blue, caught the front pack off the start with a mega effort then that sounds like the times would work. He's done the fastest time of the day by the sounds of things so get him a drink on us! krisdelta said:
ecs said:
I did the 46 this time round. Having done the 100 before, I can say I enjoyed the 46 much more! It's a fast ride, I did the whole thing pretty much flat out as I joined in with other groups of riders going round making my average pace much higher than usual. One of the best parts of the route is going through London without traffic and blasting through all the tunnels and over the bridges. Plus it's basically flat 
I'd swapped to my MTB pedals touring shoes in case of any congestion/walking, but there was none of that for us. I remember doing the 100 in 2016 and having to walk quite a few hills because of traffic, Leith even got closed due and we ended up being chased by the sweepers meaning we had to do nearly half of it flat out. I bonked at Wimbledon making the last few miles really tough.
I've entered the ballot for the 100 again next year and will enter for the 46 when it opens, here's to hoping I get a place on the 46 again though!
I was loving the 46, really quick, most riders well behaved, I spent most of it on the far right of the road overtaking, with a few groups overtaking me (I was on my own). I was gutted when my derailleur split in two on Wimbledon hill. Can't wait for next year. I'd swapped to my MTB pedals touring shoes in case of any congestion/walking, but there was none of that for us. I remember doing the 100 in 2016 and having to walk quite a few hills because of traffic, Leith even got closed due and we ended up being chased by the sweepers meaning we had to do nearly half of it flat out. I bonked at Wimbledon making the last few miles really tough.
I've entered the ballot for the 100 again next year and will enter for the 46 when it opens, here's to hoping I get a place on the 46 again though!
I've also entered the 100 ballot this time round, as although I thought I wouldn't have a hope of completing it last year as I didn't see any hope in being fit anywhere near fit enough when last year's ballot closed, although the most recent rides I'd done included the Leith or Box Hill, so expect I would have got round this year. Wouldn't complain if I did end up doing the 46 again though.
Also caught my first sight of a PH cycling jersey in the wild, and could be tempted if there was another run of those produced..
Marcellus said:
I think the difference in opinion on today’s ride was people start times, earlier ones had a good ride later ones got caught by a few nasty accidents and then a lost crate of medals meaning no medals for c6,000 people at the end.
It was my wife's first 100mile event. She was a late start time (8am) and had to stop 13times due to incidents. Was diverted around one of the hills so actually did 96miles instead of the full 100 and about 2hrs later than she was expecting. Oh and no medal after all that either. She was pretty disappointed.But still an amazing achievement as hardly ever rides on the roads and did all her training on a turbo trainer using Zwift.
S1KRR said:
Name and Shame!
If I heard there was congestion up Leith to the point everyone is walking or it's blocked I'd definitely take the Tanhurst shortcut but that road would be ridiculous if lots of riders did it. It's not a race so who really cares if someone takes a shortcut? Just leave them to it.Marcellus said:
yellowjack said:
My wife came up to London with me and we had a great weekend. She got to Tower Hill to see me on the way out, and although she thought she'd miss me at the finish line, my puncture delay meant she made it from the tube just in time. to see me across the line,...
If it took my wife nearly six hours to get from Tower Hill to The Mall, I’d be checking for shopping bags and receipts!??
hoegaardenruls said:
I can only echo the comments on the 46, as I enjoyed it. The run out to Chiswick was a fast ride, and I held a much higher pace than normal throughout (usually out towards the right), and lifting my pace a bit for the run in from Wimbledon to the end. The A12 and Limehouse sections were a highlight, as it's about the only time you can cycle through those, as was the blast down through Putney as that's normally snarled up. I'd thought anything under three hours would be OK, but the faster pace saw me finish in 2:33 without a stop. That gantry at the end though..wasn't even sure I'd finished...
I've also entered the 100 ballot this time round, as although I thought I wouldn't have a hope of completing it last year as I didn't see any hope in being fit anywhere near fit enough when last year's ballot closed, although the most recent rides I'd done included the Leith or Box Hill, so expect I would have got round this year. Wouldn't complain if I did end up doing the 46 again though.
Also caught my first sight of a PH cycling jersey in the wild, and could be tempted if there was another run of those produced..
I too did the 46 and I was wearing a PH cycling jersey so it might have been me you saw (it was the bright red/orangey looking version of the top). What sort of time did you set off at? Also, a few people spoke to me about the top so if you were one of them then hi again!I've also entered the 100 ballot this time round, as although I thought I wouldn't have a hope of completing it last year as I didn't see any hope in being fit anywhere near fit enough when last year's ballot closed, although the most recent rides I'd done included the Leith or Box Hill, so expect I would have got round this year. Wouldn't complain if I did end up doing the 46 again though.
Also caught my first sight of a PH cycling jersey in the wild, and could be tempted if there was another run of those produced..
Akz said:
If I heard there was congestion up Leith to the point everyone is walking or it's blocked I'd definitely take the Tanhurst shortcut but that road would be ridiculous if lots of riders did it. It's not a race so who really cares if someone takes a shortcut? Just leave them to it.
Lots of riders did ( take the Tanhurst cheat ) I saw a handful turn up there as I passed that bit. There was a marshal, but he didn’t flinch. If people want to cheat, that’s fine, it’s not a race, they’re only cheating themselves ultimately. I s’pose there’s a technical point if they were riding the ‘100’ for charity, and cheated it, but again, big whoopy do. There was an ‘interesting occurrence’ just shy of Westcott ( the green with the fete on it) a group of five or so riders suddenly appeared from my right and nearly piled into the bunch I was with, almost as if they’d gone straight across at the Coldharbour junction just before the final left / right bit to the top of Leith. That would have brought them out exactly where it happened 
. Cheating the route is one thing, wiping myself and a few others out in the process, is another.Edited by GOATever on Tuesday 6th August 14:39
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